When the River Runs Dry

"When the River Runs Dry"
"When the River Runs Dry"
Single by Hunters & Collectors
from the album Ghost Nation
Released	September 1989
Genre	Rock, pub rock
Length	5:02
Label	White/Mushroom, Festival
Songwriter(s)	Mark Seymour, John Archer, Doug Falconer, Robert Miles, Jeremy Smith, Michael Waters, John Howard
Producer(s)	Gavin MacKillop, Hunters & Collectors
Hunters & Collectors singles chronology

"When the River Runs Dry" is the first single from the Australian pub rock band Hunters & Collectors' sixth album, Ghost Nation. The single was released on 25 September 1989. The song peaked at number 23 in Australia and number 41 in New Zealand.^[1] The band performed the song on Late Night With David Letterman in 1990.^[2]

Background

Lead singer Mark Seymour stated the song was about middle class excess, the end of the world, rampant greed and the decline of western civilisation. The music video loosely investigated the encroaching effect of surveillance on daily life, but was accompanied with images of very attractive women engaged in a range of activities, from drinking champagne to hanging out clothes on a Hills hoist.^[3]

Track listing

7" version
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"When the River Runs Dry" (edit)	Mark Seymour, John Archer, Doug Falconer, Robert Miles, Jeremy Smith, Michael Waters, John Howard	3:34
2.	"Two Roads"	Mark Seymour, John Archer, Doug Falconer, Robert Miles, Jeremy Smith, Michael Waters, John Howard	3:19

All tracks are written by Mark Seymour, John Archer, Doug Falconer, Robert Miles, Jeremy Smith, Michael Waters, John Howard

12" version
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"When the River Runs Dry"	Mark Seymour, John Archer, Doug Falconer, Robert Miles, Jeremy Smith, Michael Waters, John Howard	5:02
2.	"The Price of Freedom"	Mark Seymour, John Archer, Doug Falconer, Robert Miles, Jeremy Smith, Michael Waters, John Howard
3.	"Wishing Well"	Mark Seymour, John Archer, Doug Falconer, Robert Miles, Jeremy Smith, Michael Waters, John Howard

Charts

Chart (1989−1990)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[4]	23
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[5]	41

References

^ "HUNTERS & COLLECTORS - WHEN THE RIVER RUNS DRY (SONG)". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
^ "H&C's on Letterman Show 1990 When The River Runs Dry". Youtube com. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
^ "HUNTERS AND COLLECTORS – WHEN THE RIVER RUNS DRY". humanfrailty.com.au. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
^ "Hunters & Collectors – When The River Runs Dry". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
^ "Hunters & Collectors – When The River Runs Dry". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 11 August 2023.

[1] "HUNTERS & COLLECTORS - WHEN THE RIVER RUNS DRY (SONG)". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 11 August 2023.

[2] "H&C's on Letterman Show 1990 When The River Runs Dry". Youtube com. Retrieved 11 August 2023.

[3] "HUNTERS AND COLLECTORS – WHEN THE RIVER RUNS DRY". humanfrailty.com.au. Retrieved 11 August 2023.

[sc_Australia_Hunters_&_Collectors-4] "Hunters & Collectors – When The River Runs Dry". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 11 August 2023.

[sc_New_Zealand_Hunters_&_Collectors-5] "Hunters & Collectors – When The River Runs Dry". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 11 August 2023.

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v t e Hunters & Collectors
John Archer Doug Falconer Robert Miles Mark Seymour Jack Howard Jeremy Smith Michael Waters Barry Palmer Geoff Crosby Greg Perano Ray Tosti-Guerra Nigel Crocker Andy Lynn Chris Malherbe Martin Lubran
Studio albums	Hunters & Collectors The Fireman's Curse The Jaws of Life Human Frailty What's a Few Men? (aka Fate) Ghost Nation Cut Demon Flower Juggernaut
Compilations	Collected Works Natural Selection
Live albums	The Way to Go Out Under One Roof
Extended plays	World of Stone Payload Living Daylight
Singles	"World of Stone" "Talking to a Stranger" "Throw Your Arms Around Me" "Say Goodbye" "Everything's on Fire" "Is There Anybody in There?" "Do You See What I See?" "Still Hanging 'Round" "When the River Runs Dry" "True Tears of Joy" "Holy Grail"
Related articles	Discography
Category